Holy Joes opens to large crowd

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – It may look like a large snack cake with its yellowish foam covering and elongated shape, but Holy Joes Chapel Tent, located in Red Bull Life Sustainment Area at Contingency Operating Base Basra, is designed to do more than cater to the sweet tooth.
Soldiers were able to get a preview of the facilities contained within the tent during a party hosted by the Special Troops Battalion chaplain’s office Aug. 15.

Sgt. Jonathan Groeneweg, chaplain assistant for Special Troops Battalion, 34th Red Bull Infantry Division, said the facility is about to earn its keep on COB Basra.

“We plan on having a program called Art for Iraq, where we decorate the tent with local art,” said Groeneweg, who hails from Marshall, Minn. “We also will host Bible studies here, open (microphone) and movies nights, games, all kinds of stuff!”

“We just wanted a place where Soldiers can hang out and have a good time,” Groeneweg added.

Chaplain (1st Lt.) Mike Lotzer, DSTB chaplain, said the facility will also host something he calls “Poetry Slam” and leadership retreats for company-level military leaders.

“We are also thinking about moving Financial Peace University out here,” Lotzer added.

Lotzer said he owes a debt of gratitude to the people who made this vision a reality.

“I especially want to thank Staff Sgt. Scott Wiechmann, the LSA Red Bull camp manager, for all his hard work,” Lotzer said. “He was the lead builder on this project and without his hard work this would have never happened.”

For more information on the ministries, events and services to be hosted at Holy Joes, contact the DSTB chaplain’s office at 858-4596.